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WTM London 2019 sees increase in industry leaders

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WTM London 2019 – the event where ideas arrive – saw a 77% increase in ministerial attendance as well as a higher quality of WTM Buyers’ Club Members. It confirms WTM London as the place for senior travel professionals to interact, connect and understand the trends that will determine the future of the tourism industry.

In total, almost 50,000 visitors from 182 countries attended the three-day event at ExCeL London. There were around 1.2 million business meetings conducted and over 110 conference sessions held. This all contributed to a total of £3.75 billion worth of travel industry business deals being signed.

This year the WTM Buyers’ Club was re-formatted to include a stricter vetting process, which focused on inviting only the top industry buyers with the best reputation and purchasing power.

During the event itself, many landmark deals were signed for the travel and tourism industry. These included a deal between easyJet and Atout France that will see a €1 million advertising campaign launched in the UK to promote French destinations.

In addition to this, several large booking deals occurred at the event this year, which will see clients such as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and the Seychelles secure increased stand-space heading into the 2020 edition of WTM London.

Furthermore, as this was the 40th anniversary of WTM London, this was a show with a difference. Celebrations took place across the regional inspiration zones to mark the significance of this anniversary, with countries from around the world bringing a slice of their unique culture to London.

The event programme for WTM London continued to advance to reflect the modern trends dominating the travel industry. There were sessions on topics as diverse as responsible tourism, LGBT travel, aviation and the crucial role of technology in the future of travel – thus creating a conference programme filled with fascinating content.

With high-profile events such as the annual Leaders’ Lunch and the UNWTO & WTM Ministerial Summit, tourism ministers flocked to the event; there was a 77% increase, taking it from 43 Ministers in 2018 to 76 this year.

The co-located Travel Forward event also saw similar successes this year with visitors experiencing the latest in travel technology. In only its second year as a dedicated travel technology show and conference – exhibitor stand space at Travel Forward increased by 9%, including 49 new exhibitors debuting their companies to the global travel industry.

Highlights of the innovative Travel Forward conference programme included sessions from leaders in the travel tech industry such as Sector Director for Travel UK at Google, Becky Power, and Managing Director of Virgin Hyperloop One in the Middle East & India, Harj Dhaliwal – to name only two. All of the 33 sessions covered insightful topics outlining how the future of travel will look alongside the next developments in technology.

London Travel Week was officially launched over the first week of November and encapsulated the various events surrounding WTM London throughout the capital. With tens of thousands of senior travel professionals ascending on London for WTM, London Travel Week’s diverse collection of networking sessions, conferences and awards helped to create a truly global hub for the travel and tourism industry.

WTM London’s Senior Exhibition Director, Simon Press said: “WTM London 2019 was unquestionably a great success. We are delighted to have been able to facilitate the business and creative connections of 50,000 attendees, exhibitors, buyers and media in order to form the future of the travel industry.

“By welcoming almost 80 Tourism Ministers and increasing the quality of Buyers’ Club members at the event this year, it proves that WTM London is not only the event where ideas arrive, but where decisions are made.

“We challenge ourselves to keep developing this event and to make sure that everyone who travels to WTM London, Travel Forward and London Travel Week – as well as BorderlessLive in September – gets the best possible experience.

“With more than £3.75 billion worth of deals being generated at WTM London 2019 – this has shown how crucial it is to attend from a business perspective. We are incredibly proud of all that WTM London has achieved in the last 40 years and can’t wait to see how it develops over the next forty years.”

eTN is a media partner for WTM London.

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

London Travel Week debuts to huge acclaim

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The launch of London Travel Week, which took place from 1st to 7th November 2019, was a great success as destinations, brands and tourism organisations came together to shape the next twelve months of travel.

More than 50,000 travel professionals flocked to London to take part in London Travel Week’s most well-known and prestigious event, WTM London, as well as attend the numerous other industry events that took place in Britain’s capital.

The events that formed the inaugural London Travel Week included over 25 conferences, seminars, parties, award ceremonies, product launches and networking evenings, positioning London as a true a world-class travel hub.

The International Tourism & Investment Conference (ITIC) kicked off the week of events, with their annual two-day conference, bringing together international leaders in the tourism, travel and hospitality sectors and connecting them with investors, project developers, entrepreneurs, Government Ministers and policy makers.

The Henan Tourism Bureau held a gala in celebration of the Chinese province on Monday 4 November. The event included a seminar highlighting the growing tourism interest in Henan as well as the rich cultural and historical offerings for travellers that are present in the region.

Later that evening, it was the turn of Greece to hold their own event, as they gave visitors the chance to learn how to make iconic Greek cocktails. While shaking up a storm at the bar, those attending were given the chance to network with hotels, tour operators and regional tourist boards from the iconic Mediterranean country.

Visit Rwanda used London Travel Week as a chance to invite international tour operators, buyers and press to a special networking evening with leaders from the Rwandan Tourism Industry on Tuesday 5 November. The evening was hosted by Rwanda’s Chief Tourism Officer Belise Kariza and featured a cultural dance performance, engagement opportunities with travel experts from Rwanda and a screening of the new film, Rwanda Royal Tour. The event was a huge success and illustrated London Travel Week as the perfect forum for showcasing global tourism prospects.

Belize Kariza said of the event: “Rwanda’s participation at WTM London was incredibly fruitful and gave our world class local tour operators the chance to meet and create business ties with international travel trade.

“Our event, ‘An Evening with Visit Rwanda’ highlighted the country’s many and varied tourist attractions – from jet skiing on Lake Kivu to Big Five safaris – and was the perfect platform to foster business between travel trade and Rwandan operators. We look forward to returning for London Travel Week in 2020, which promises to be bigger and better than ever!”

Tuesday night saw one of the most glamorous events in the London Travel Week calendar take place as WTM London presented the second edition of the International Travel and Tourism Awards (ITTAs) at Magazine, London. The ITTAs celebrated the leading public and private bodies of the tourism industry across sixteen separate categories with independent judges choosing the winners of these prestigious awards.

Wednesday night provided another chance to celebrate during London Travel Week as TTG hosted their annual WTM Closing Party. The event was designed to bring together travel buyers, sellers, operators, airlines and the rest of the trade that had taken part in WTM London helping to celebrate its successes. It proved to be a great night for all and a fantastic way to celebrate what had been another brilliant WTM London.

The inaugural London Travel Week demonstrated a wide array of new business opportunities for all in the travel industry to utilise. Julie Thérond, PR and Marketing Lead for London Travel Week said: “We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from the global travel & tourism industry, including event hosts and attendees.

“By broadcasting the events happening around WTM London, we empowered our visitors and encouraged connections beyond their existing networks. We are delighted by the very successful launch of London Travel Week and we are even more excited to see how the programme develops with London Travel Week promising to be even bigger and better next year.”

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

Asian exhibitors set to make a splash at WTM London 2019

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Exhibitors from Asia will once again flock to WTM London 2019 – the event where ideas arrive – bringing fresh angles on iconic locations, grand hotel developments and exciting new offerings for global travellers.

Once again, there is huge interest in WTM London from brands and destinations based in the Maldives. The Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Company placed great emphasis on travel trade roadshows this year and credit this with the 17% increase in visitors to the islands. WTM London will be a chance to increase this number yet further.

In London, they will be showcasing their environmental focus, launching the #ProtectMaldivesSeagrass campaign and encouraging travellers to think more sustainably when they visit the archipelago.

The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort has also undergone major developments this year, which they will proudly show to over 50,000 visitors who will be attending WTM London 2019.

The main thrust of this regeneration is wellness with a new focus centred on health and fitness. This includes the visit, in December of this year, of globally renowned healer Elizabeth Cocoann who has shaped a new wellness menu including myofascial release, osteopathic massage and reiki in the new Heavenly Spa at the resort.

The Sheraton Full Moon Resort in the Maldives has also focused on changes to their spa offerings this year. The Shine Spa will open in 2020 and is all part of a $20 million renovation programme.

The resort now includes seven bars and restaurants, an industry-leading spa and a range of accommodation offerings that will entice visitors at WTM London to get some winter sun in the Indian Ocean.

Mauritian resort group Sun Resorts will be attending WTM London this year and are giving attendees a chance to meet their new CEO Francois Eynaud.

In reference to his appointment, Eynaud has said: “I look forward to steering Sun Resorts through an exciting time as we continue to strengthen the group’s marketing position and raise the bar in levels of service and hospitality across our properties.”

Lastly, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China have a number of incredibly exciting announcements to make when they touch down at WTM London. This year, the ministry will be focusing on the great variety of cultural and tourism products on offer in the country.

China is a land of extremes and there will be exhibitors from 18 of the nation’s 26 provinces, providing a unique and fascinating glimpse into the country for all those that visit the China Pavilion at WTM London 2019.

Simon Press, Senior Exhibition Director of WTM London added: “The Asian tourist market has long been a great supporter of WTM London and we are so excited to welcome exhibitors from across the region this year. From destinations to brands and tourism authorities there will be a variety of exhibitors for attendees to visit.

“They all understand how WTM can provide the perfect platform to market their products to new and existing business partners from around the world.”

Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Company: Stand AS140

Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort: AS140

Sheraton Full Moon Resort: AS140

Sun Hotels: AS100

Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China: AS1050

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

Egypt to sponsor visitor registration at WTM London 2019

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Egypt Tourism Authority has been confirmed as the sponsor for visitor registration at this year’s WTM London – the leading global event for the travel industry.

The partnership comes just days after the British government lifted the flight restriction to the North African country’s resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh. The removal of the guidelines from the UK will mean there will be a huge push for tourism to Egypt from Britain.

The Egyptian Minister of Tourism Dr. Rania Al-Mashat commended the declaration of the end of the ban saying, “We welcome the return of British tourists to Sharm el-Sheikh. This announcement is a renewal of the ongoing cooperation between both nations.

“This step is a testament to the continuous efforts exerted by the Egyptian government to ensure the safety and security of every visitor in all Egypt’s destinations, and in South Sinai in Particular.”

Egypt has significantly invested in safety and security measures including CCTV, airport security, GPS on tour busses and continually reviews and enhances these security steps.

As part of Egypt’s tourism initiative for 2020, Sphinx airport will charter flights to West Cairo to facilitate passengers’ journey to the new Grand Egyptian Museum and the ancient Pyramids. The Grand Egyptian Museum will officially open its doors in late 2020. It’s not only set to be the biggest museum in the world, but will exclusively host only ancient Egyptian pieces and will be the final resting place for Tutankhamun, Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh exhibition.

The Tutankhamun exhibition is currently held at London’s Saatchi Gallery and will be opening this Saturday (2 November) and will be in residence until Sunday 3 May 2020.  The exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and opens on the second day of the London Travel Week.

The partnership is announced one week until WTM London opens its doors to almost 55,000 visitors, the highest calibre buyers and almost 3,000 media.

WTM London, Senior Director, Simon Press said: “We are delighted to have Egypt come on board as our visitor registration partner for WTM London. It’s been a hard few years for inbound tourism from the UK to this beautiful and culturally rich country. At WTM London, we are looking forward to working with Egypt and facilitating the business and idea creation to ensure this  can make up for the lost in tourism numbers.”

Register for WTM London now to avoid paying on arrival at london.wtm.com

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

London Travel Week debuts in ONE week

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London Travel Week will be taking place from November 1-7, 2019 and will bring together industry events to become the largest festival supporting the global travel and tourism industry in the world.

This will be an opportunity for the entire community to come together and shape the next 12 months of tourism.

During the week surrounding WTM London, over 50,000 travel professionals flock to London to take part in WTM London. London Travel Week has been designed to bring this huge number of visitors together and in the process, create a world-class travel hub.

There are now over 20, diverse and fascinating events for visitors to attend that form part of this celebration. From networking over moreish Mexican food to glamorous awards ceremonies, and everything in between, this event will demonstrate an array of new possibilities in the travel industry.

London Travel Week is proud to be hosting An Evening with Visit Rwanda on Tuesday 5 November. This is a special networking event with leaders from the Rwandan tourism industry, where attendees will be able to discover the country’s vibrant and remarkable tourist attractions and unique investment opportunities.

Hosted by Rwanda’s Chief Tourism Officer, Belise Kariza, this evening will also feature a screening of an exciting new Rwanda Royal Tour film, a cultural dance performance and a chance to meet Rwandan tourism experts, all organized in conjuncture with the WTM London team.

As well as this evening with Visit Rwanda, there are a plethora of other events taking place across the week.

The luxurious Mexican destination of Los Cabos will be hosting a VIP reception for commercial clients and partners on Sunday, November 3, while MXConnect will be hosting a networking session at the Good Hotel London on Tuesday, November 5, meaning these events will have a Central American theme running through them.

The food, travel and innovation summit FoodTrex will take place on Sunday, November 3, bringing innovative information on food tourism together with quality networking opportunities, allowing businesses and brands to be part of the evolution of food travel.

ENIT Italia will be taking over the Sky Garden from 19.00 on Tuesday, as they celebrate their 100th anniversary with food, entertainment and live music from DJ Albertino and the Black Box Band.

The TTG WTM Closing Party, on Wednesday, November 6, has also been incorporated into the London Travel Week program, providing an exciting finale to a great week as buyers, sellers, tour operators, airlines and the rest of the travel trade will come together for an exclusive party.

London Travel Week will also feature three awards ceremonies, marking it out as a week of celebration. The World Tourism Awards will take place at ExCeL London on Monday evening and then the WTM World Travel Leaders Awards and Panel Discussion will follow these on Tuesday, November 5.

The International Travel and Tourism Awards will be taking place on Tuesday, at a glamorous new location, Magazine London. The awards will be a true celebration of the global travel industry and provide a platform to honor the front-runners in 15 fascinating categories.

London Travel Week will unlock invaluable networking and business opportunities for those who journey to the UK during the first week of November. This one-stop-shop is a true showcase for the global travel industry and attendees will find all they need at this fantastic new event in the global travel calendar.

London Travel Week Lead, Julie Therond, said: “London Travel Week has been a long time coming! We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from the global travel & tourism industry, including event hosts and attendees. By broadcasting the events happening around WTM London, we want to empower our visitors and encourage exploration beyond their existing networks. We are looking forward to a fantastic first edition of London Travel Week.”

Be the first to hear about the London Travel Week program, news announcements and more by going to the website.

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

Media Contacts:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Julie Thérond – London Travel Week Marketing & PR Lead

E: julie.therond@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7916

WTM London partners with Sherbet London to reduce 18 tons of CO2 emissions

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Electric taxi company Sherbet London is setting out to offset 18 tons of CO2 emissions during WTM London 2019 by offering 1,000 one-way airport transfers and taxi rides within London.

Sherbet London is the official taxi company for WTM London. There 40 WTM London and London Travel Week branded electric cabs in honour of the 40th anniversary of WTM London.

The aim is to offset 18 tons of carbon emissions during the event by offering 1,000 rides in the electric cabs. Each Sherbet electric cab emits just 29g of CO2 per km as opposed to a typical diesel taxi, which emits 222g.

WTM London attendees will have a front-row seat to the positive environmental impact of these cabs, by being able to view live CO2 offset measurements, which will be displayed on screens at the Sherbet London stand at WTM London and on the event’s website.   

To help them reach their goal, exhibitors and visitors are encouraged to book their airport transfer or London taxi journey with Sherbet Ride through a special online booking system during WTM London.  

Senior Exhibition Director of WTM London Simon Press said: “This partnership represents an exciting advancement for WTM London. We are constantly trying to make sure that our event remains sustainable and reflects the very best advancements in environmental technology.

“For our 40th edition we sought out significant ways to celebrate this anniversary and we are proud to be collaborating with Sherbet London. This partnership definitely strengthens our credentials as a truly responsible event in the global travel calendar.”

Download the Sherbet Ride app, available on Android and iOS for instant or future bookings.

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

Wellness tourism is in good health at WTM London

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Experts and entrepreneurs will be taking the pulse of the booming multibillion-pound wellness sector during WTM London – the global event where ideas arrive.

Wellness tourism is currently estimated to be worth more than $639 billion a year – and growing at twice the pace of general tourism – according to the Global Wellness Institute.

Two panel discussions about making the most of this lucrative market will take place in the Inspiration Zones, while scores of exhibitors will display their wellness credentials out on the floor of ExCeL London.

The first will be Launching & Optimising Your Brand in the Wellness Space. It will explore how tourist organisations, hospitality brands and tour operators are increasingly marketing their wellness offerings.

The moderator will be Anne Dimon – Co-founder and President of the Wellness Tourism Association – who has decades of experience in wellness, travel, journalism and PR.

She will be joined by three expert speakers: Emily Mikus, Brand Manager at G Adventures; Mark Hennebry, Vice Chairman at Danubius Hotel Group; and entrepreneur Joanne Vomiero, Director and Founder of In This Life Wellness Travel.

Mikus spearheaded G Adventures’ industry-leading animal welfare policy and helped launch the operator’s new Wellness travel style. Hennebry will talk about his role overseeing 45 hotels with wellness and spa facilities in Hungary, the UK, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania. Vomiero has more than 20 years of experience in the sector and owns a wellness clinic in Australia.

Following the debate and Q&A session, Vomiero will demonstrate simple techniques to help delegates ‘Disconnect to Reconnect’.

The second debate titled A New Decade of Wellness Travel, will present an overview of the latest trends, look forward to the next decade in this sector and discuss the outlook with expert speakers. They will be Ozgur Cengiz, who manages the JOALI WellBeing Resort in the Maldives, and Aldina Duarte Ramos, the Global Director of Wellbeing for Accor’s luxury brands.

Meanwhile, delegates can meet more than 150 companies on the exhibition floor, which specialise in wellness. There are also dozens more hotels, tourist boards, tour operators, attractions and venues that offer wellness and spa services.

Highlights include wellness treatments launched by Hastings Hotels in Northern Ireland. The independent hotel group has a new collection of face and body treatments for those who are living with, through and beyond cancer.

Elsewhere in the UK, the Wales Coast Path will promote new guides and itineraries, and a free augmented reality app, which is part of a national initiative to get children more active outdoors.

Coming from further afield, two luxury properties from the Maldives will be at WTM London to market their wellness services.

A private island spa will open in 2020 at Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa on in North Malé Atoll. The luxury wellness area is the final part of a $20 million renovation programme at the beachfront resort.

The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort in the Baa Atoll will also highlight its different wellness themes for each month. Specialist practitioners visit the resort to focus on particular areas of health and fitness, and nutritional menus at the four restaurants and bars support the themes.

WTM London Senior Exhibition Director Simon Press said: “The wellness tourism sector goes from strength to strength each year.

“Our program of debates, backed up by hundreds of networking and business opportunities, means that WTM London is offering a very healthy diet of ideas, inspiration and connections to help firms to make the most of this growing sector in 2020 and beyond.”

Launching & Optimising Your Brand in the Wellness Space – 5 Nov 2019, 15:00 – 16:00 Asia Inspiration Zone

A New Decade of Wellness Travel – 6 Nov 2019, 11:00 – 12:00 Americas Inspiration Zone

Hastings Hotels

Stand: UKI300

Wales Coast Path

Stand: UKI100

Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa

Stand: AS140

Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort

Stand: AS140

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

Live the dream – the MTV tie-up redefining Malta

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Destinations interested in appealing to the youth travel market are advised to attend a session at WTM London which highlights how the Isle of MTV Malta has boosted the Mediterranean island’s tourism industry.

Russel Samuel, Vice President, Creative and Integrated Marketing at Viacom Velocity International, and Minister Konrad Mizzi, Malta’s Minister for Tourism, will talk through the data points and share examples of best practice that other destinations can consider.

Topics such as hosting a live event in a historic location, city branding, partnerships and working with local authorities will be discussed.

Malta expanded its partnership with Viacom with the Nickelodeon Treasure Hunt Malta this April. Events included searching for SpongeBob SquarePants at the National Aquarium and joining the pizza-loving Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at Is-Suq Tal-Belt food market.

The session – How the Power of Live Entertainment Can Put a Country on the Youth Travel Map –  is moderated by Becca Dudley, known for her time as MTV’s lead presenter, Glastonbury DJ sets and shows on Apple Music’s international station Beats 1. She is also an ambassador for MTV’s AIDS charity, Staying Alive.

Laura Hamilton, a presenter for Channel 4’s ‘A Place in the Sun’ show will also contribute.

WTM London Senior Exhibition Director Simon Press said: “There’s a lot of talk around Gen Z, experiential tourism and youth travel in general. The MTV partnership has opened up Malta to that segment and the stats prove this.

“WTM is all about sharing actionable insights to help travel businesses and destinations grow, find new markets, form new partnerships. This session represents what we want to achieve.”

The hour-long session takes place on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, starting at 13:15.

As a taster for the session, Russell Samuel took part in the latest WTM Insights Podcast, talking about how pop culture, in general, is driving tourism.

To listen to the podcast and for links to download the episode via Spotify or iTunes, click here.

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday, November 4 – Wednesday, November 6, 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organized by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organizer with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organizing world-leading travel exhibitions.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510

London Travel Week Announces Key Events

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Taking place from the 1 to 7 November 2019, London Travel Week will bring together industry events and become the largest festival supporting the global travel and tourism industry in the world.

The new kid in the mix is discreetly emerging as a still sleeping giant, the International Tourism & Investment Conference on November 1 and 2 at the InterContinental Park Lane, London. It’s the place where tourism celebrities meet emerging leaders in the global travel and tourism industry, and where tourism investment projects can be introduced and find funding.

Each November, over 50,000 travel professionals flock to London and numerous industry events take place throughout the week surrounding WTM London. London Travel Week will create a world-class travel-hub by combining a variety of occasions including awards ceremonies, tourism conferences and travel industry celebrations – demonstrating the array of new possibilities.

On Sunday 3 November, the food, travel and innovation summit FoodTrex will be hosting events throughout the day. This brings cutting edge information on food tourism together with quality networking opportunities, allowing businesses and brands to be part of the evolution of food travel.

The programme for the week also includes the second edition of the International Travel & Tourism Awards (ITTAs). The prestigious awards will celebrate the best in class of national, regional and city tourist boards, as well as outstanding private sector companies and individuals. The ITTAs will be taking place in the brand new Magazine London venue on Tuesday 5 November.

Also on Tuesday 5 November will be a networking event held by MXConnect. This will give attendees the chance to meet Mexican destinations, hotels and DMCs at a networking cocktail session. There will be new contacts and suppliers all under one roof.

Finally, TTG will once again host their highly anticipated WTM London Closing Party on the evening of Wednesday 6 November. This year it will be hosted at the Tropicana Beach Club in Covent Garden and will bring together buyers, sellers, operators, airlines and the travel trade. This invite-only event is certainly not to be missed.

London Travel Week is unlocking invaluable networking and business opportunities for those who journey to the UK during the first week of November for WTM London. This one-stop-shop showcases the must-attend travel and tourism events taking place outside of the home of WTM London – the ExCel, London.

Be the first to hear about the London Travel Week programme, news announcements and find out how to host your own events by going to the website.

About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading events across four continents, generating more than $7.5 billion of industry deals. The events are:

London Travel Week, brought to you by WTM London, is the one-stop-shop for event hosts and visitors to be able to shape the next 12 months of travel together. The festival of events support the global travel and tourism industry through capturing invaluable news and enhancing industry connections.

The inaugural London Travel Week will take place from Friday 1 November – Saturday 7 November 2019.

https://londontravelweek.wtm.com/

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts. http://london.wtm.com/.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

London Travel Week, brought to you by WTM London, is the one-stop-shop for event hosts and visitors to be able to shape the next 12 months of travel together. The festival of events support the global travel and tourism industry through capturing invaluable news and enhancing industry connections.

The inaugural London Travel Week will take place from Friday 1 November – Saturday 7 November 2019.

https://londontravelweek.wtm.com/

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

More information, please contact:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Julie Thérond – London Travel Week Marketing & PR Lead

E: julie.therond@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7916

Top tech experts and travel brands share insights at Travel Forward

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Delegates at Travel Forward – the travel technology event co-located with WTM London – will hear from the likes of Google, Facebook and Expedia about hi-tech ways that travel will innovate from 2020 onwards.

Expert speakers from global tech giants will join executives from multinational travel firms such as easyJet, Accor and KLM at a two-day conference, which is part of the three-day Travel Forward (Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November).

The keynote speaker on the first morning (4 November) is Becky Power from Google UK, who will discuss how advances in digital technology can help travel businesses to stay competitive and improve customer loyalty. Her session will look at the latest innovations in the travel industry, with case studies outlining how technology has been successfully applied within the industry – and how these breakthroughs been driven by the changing needs of consumers. She started her career as a consultant at Accenture before joining Google 13 years ago, and is also a mentor for Ceresa, a mentoring initiative to help more women take on leadership roles.

She will be followed by Harj Dhaliwal from Virgin Hyperloop One, a pioneering mass transit system that aims to transport people and goods at nearly 700 miles per hour. Plans for the world’s first hyperloop project have been approved in India, aiming to link Pune and Mumbai in less than 35 minutes – compared to the current three-and-a-half-hour road journey. Dhaliwal will outline how the $10 billion scheme can create a blueprint for a hyperloop network across India – and update delegates about plans for similar Virgin Hyperloop One projects across the globe, from the US to the Middle East.

The afternoon sessions will showcase hi-tech ways to improve the experience for leisure and business travellers. Anette Schouls from KLM will talk about how she and her team harness the latest digital technology to help the airline’s passengers. Their recent flagship project was the new KLM Crown Lounge at Schiphol Airport, which welcomes 5,000 visitors from around the world every day.

She will be followed by three speakers for the session entitled ‘The zero-friction customer journey’ – Alex Dalman from advertising and marketing firm VCCP; Morwenna Francis from EasyJet; and Siobhan McWeeny from Facebook. Dalman helped to create easyJet’s Look&Book app which enables users to book a flight from just a photograph, and she will join Francis to discuss how it has helped the no-frills airline. McWeeny will reveal trends and insights from Facebook showing delegates how they can reduce friction for customers.

Two keynote sessions on the conference’s second day will examine the influence of ‘Generation Alpha’ and explore trends in the hospitality sector. The keynote speech about Generation Alpha by Andrew van der Feltz, from Expedia Group Media Solutions, will feature research findings about the emerging cohort of travellers born after 2010. They have grown up with technology, digital content and instant gratification and can influence family holiday decisions and the future of travel. He will be followed by Accor’s Frederic Fontaine who will use case studies from the hotel giant to demonstrate how organisations can change in a sustainable way, and put the customer at the centre of their planning.

Across the two days of Travel Forward delegates will have learnt about the transformative impact technology across the travel landscape, and how to harness digital capabilities to deliver on the joint goals of better customer experiences, and sustainable business value. In the Final Panel: Rethinking digital transformation session, speakers and panellists from across the two days will review insights and discuss: how can delegates take these learnings forward, embracing strategies to deliver innovation across their organisations?

Now in its second year, Travel Forward at ExCeL London features a conference, exhibition and Startup Showcase programme – which concludes at 16:30 in the TF Keynote Theatre on the Tuesday – designed to help senior decision-makers to plan for the future.

As well as top executives in the Keynote Theatre, the conference will feature other sessions in the TF Conference Theatre 2, looking at issues such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, blockchain, business growth and marketing.

Richard Gayle, Event Manager for Travel Forward said: “Last year’s inaugural event was a great success and we’re building on that to offer delegates even more in 2019 – more ideas about how the industry will look in the 2020s and more solutions to overcome the biggest challenges facing the travel industry. “Travel Forward is the event that embraces fresh concepts and innovative projects to inspire delegates. The motivational speakers in our keynote theatre will share their stories of entrepreneurship and cutting-edge technology, which will galvanize our visitors.”

Monday 4 November: Conference Sessions in the TF Keynote Theatre

11:10-11:40

Keynote: From booking systems to business value: How to deliver on digital technology advances to stay competitive, improve loyalty and retention, and deliver experiences.

Becky Power, Travel Sector Director, Google UK

11:40-12:00

Virgin Hyperloop One: Pushing the boundaries of transportation

Harj Dhaliwal, Managing Director Middle East & India, Virgin Hyperloop One

14:15-14:45 

Transforming the digital airport experience for business customers

Anette Schouls, Manager Digital Airport Services, KLM 

15:15-15:45

The zero-friction customer journey

Alex Dalman, Senior Account Director, VCCP; Morwenna Francis; Marketing Manager, EasyJet; and Siobhan McWeeny, Client Partner Travel UK, Facebook

Tuesday 5 November: Conference Sessions in the TF Keynote Theatre

11:00-11:30

Keynote: Generation Alpha: How the World’s Youngest Generation is Already Influencing Travel

11:30-12:00  

Keynote: Customer-centricity and personalisation in the hospitality industry

Frederic Fontaine, Innovation Lab Senior Vice President, Accor

16:30-17:00

Startup Showcase finale

17:00-17:30

Final panel: Rethinking digital transformation

Moderated by Jon Collins.

To reserve your place at the Travel Forward conference click here.

 About World Travel Market

World Travel Market (WTM) portfolio comprises eight leading B2B events across four continents, generating more than $7 billion of industry deals. The events are:

WTM London, the leading global event for the travel industry, is the must-attend three-day exhibition for the worldwide travel and tourism industry. About 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international media visit ExCeL London every November, generating about £3.4 billion in travel industry contracts.

Next event: Monday 4 – Wednesday 6 November 2019 – London #IdeasArriveHere

About Reed Exhibitions

Reed Exhibitions is the world’s leading events business, enhancing the power of face-to-face through data and digital tools at more than 500 events a year, in more than 43 countries, attracting more than seven million participants. Reed’s events are held in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries.

About Reed Travel Exhibitions

Reed Travel Exhibitions is the world’s leading travel and tourism event’s organiser with a growing portfolio of more than 22 international travel and tourism trade events in Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Our events are market leaders in their sectors, whether they are global and regional leisure travel trade events, or specialist events for meetings, incentives, conference, events (MICE) industry, business travel, luxury travel, travel technology as well as golf, spa and ski travel. We have more than 35 years’ experience in organising world-leading travel exhibitions.

eTN is a media partner for WTM London.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Julia Newbound – WTM Portfolio Press & PR Lead

E: julia.newbound@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7056 / M: +44 (0)7775 036 858

Nicole Smart – WTM Portfolio PR & Events Consultant

E: nicole.smart@reedexpo.co.uk

T: +44 (0)20 8910 7032/ M: +44 (0)79 1955 5510